Gifts for the photographer in your family

Clifford Oto, The Stockton Record
·4 min read

There are two main challenges when shopping for the shutterbug on your Christmas list.

The first is photography is an expensive hobby...or profession. Lenses can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to the price of a small car. Camera bodies are the same way. Photography workshops can be in the thousands. Even tripods, which can start as little as $20, can soar up to a $500 or more. Even if you find a bargain or sale, it can still be costly.

Secondly, unless you know exactly what they want, it’s hard to pick out something that will suit their needs. What you buy may not be compatible with the equipment they already have. For example, I like Domke camera bags. There are other fine brands such as, Think Tank, Tenba, Peak Design and many others. Domke is designed for the way I think and work, but it may not be for others. Also, I like a shoulder bag while others like backpack-type bags. With that said, here are a few suggestions for the photographer in your family.

Yi-Fang Chang takes advantage of the sunny day to take some scenic photographs at Buckley Cove Park in Stockton for a photography class at school on Mar. 17, 2003.
Yi-Fang Chang takes advantage of the sunny day to take some scenic photographs at Buckley Cove Park in Stockton for a photography class at school on Mar. 17, 2003.

You can get an entry level camera for as low as a few hundred dollars for the budding photographer just starting  out. Canon, Sony and Nikon are the most popular brands but at this level almost any brand will do. Note that DSLR-style cameras are old technology and most manufacturers have switched to making digital mirrorless cameras (though they still may have some DSLRs in stock).

Since mirrorless is a new tech, it's usually a slightly higher price.

Barry Strouther of Folsom photographs a supermoon graced the sky over the Cosumnes River Preserve near Thornton on Nov. 14, 2016.
Barry Strouther of Folsom photographs a supermoon graced the sky over the Cosumnes River Preserve near Thornton on Nov. 14, 2016.

Getting a lens depends on what kind of photography your loved one does. Sports and nature photography usually require long telephoto lenses which can be very expensive (some top out as much as $20,000). Landscape photographers usually like wider angles which, in general, cost less.

Filters can be a relatively inexpensive gift item, often costing less than $100.  There are skylight or UV filters are mainly used to protect the front glass element of a lens. It may not sound like a fun item but if someone buys an expensive lens a skylight/UV filter can be some cheap insurance. There are other types of filters with different effects but the person you’re buying for may already have some or may not need them. In addition, each lens can have a different circumference which a filter needs to match. It would be wise to ask beforehand.

Ned Bagno of Concord braves the cold conditions to make some photographs on a foggy morning at the Cosumnes River Preserve near Thornton on Dec. 30, 2016.
Ned Bagno of Concord braves the cold conditions to make some photographs on a foggy morning at the Cosumnes River Preserve near Thornton on Dec. 30, 2016.

Tripods can make a good gift. You can get a decent one relatively inexpensively ($200-$300 range). It’s hard to judge the sturdiness of a tripod without seeing it in person. It shouldn’t move or wiggle even at its fullest extension which can be hard to determine just from a picture on Amazon. Generally, the stronger the tripod, the more they it costs. Check with your photographer to see how robust a tripod they need.

Cattle graze in a field with mountains in the background. in the South Farm, at the Manzanar Relocation Center, Inyo County, California. Photograph by Ansel Adams, 1943.
Cattle graze in a field with mountains in the background. in the South Farm, at the Manzanar Relocation Center, Inyo County, California. Photograph by Ansel Adams, 1943.

Books about photography and photographers can be interesting and inspirational. But know where your photographer’s interests lie. If they’re into sports photography then they may not be interested in landscape photographers like Galen Rowell or Ansel Adams. Books by Neil Leifer or Walter Iooss may be for them. Books about Annie Leibovitz or Philippe Halsman may be for those interested in portraits as are ones by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Diane Arbus for art photography lovers.

You can also have books made with pictures taken by your photographer. There are several sites such as Shutterfly, Snapfish, Mixbook and more that you can join that can compile photos that you send them into book form.

SIxteen-year-old Lincoln High student Lulu Skafi, right, takes advantage of the sunny day to take a picture of her sister Shereen Skafi, 21, for a photo class project at Buckley Cove Park in Stockton on Feb, 4, 2008.
SIxteen-year-old Lincoln High student Lulu Skafi, right, takes advantage of the sunny day to take a picture of her sister Shereen Skafi, 21, for a photo class project at Buckley Cove Park in Stockton on Feb, 4, 2008.

My last gift idea is one that I’ve suggested before and is my favorite.

It is probably the most useful as well as the least expensive. It is the gift of time and it costs almost nothing. For most amateur and even some professional photographers it can be difficult to find time to go out shooting for fun or practice. If they have chores such as cooking, taking the kids to school or cleaning the house, you can offer to do help on occasion to allow them to go to an event, place or time that they want to take pictures of.

If they're a bit younger you can drive them to and from places.

Also, if they like taking portraits you can be their model (come on now, don’t be camera shy).

Jean Finley of Galt photographs a supermoon graced the sky over the Cosumnes River Preserve near Thornton early Monday morning on Nov. 14, 2016.
Jean Finley of Galt photographs a supermoon graced the sky over the Cosumnes River Preserve near Thornton early Monday morning on Nov. 14, 2016.

Photography can also be an lonely endeavor. Offer to go with your shutterbug to keep them company. It can enhance their experience if you go along with them to a location or event. Night/astro photography can be a bit spooky when you’re by yourself. It can be comforting to have someone to talk to and watch one’s back in the darkness.

Whether you have a large budget or a nearly nonexistent one, there’s something you can get for the photography lover in you family.

This article originally appeared on The Record: What to get the photographer in your family for Christmas